Nicolas Cozza

Nicolas Louis Marcel Cozza (born 8 January 1999) is a French professional footballer who plays as a centre-back or left-back for Ligue 1 club Nantes on loan from German Bundesliga club VfL Wolfsburg.

Nicolas Cozza

Cozza with Nantes in 2025
Personal information
Full name	Nicolas Louis Marcel Cozza[1]
Date of birth	(1999-01-08) 8 January 1999 (age 26)
Place of birth	Ganges, France
Height	1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)[2]
Position(s)	Centre-back, left-back
Team information
Current team	Nantes (on loan from VfL Wolfsburg)
Number	3
Youth career
2005–2008	FC Pays Viganais Aigoual
2008–2010	US Basses Cévennes
2010–2017	Montpellier
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2016–2019	Montpellier II	22	(0)
2017–2023	Montpellier	99	(5)
2023–	VfL Wolfsburg	11	(0)
2024	→ Nantes (loan)	13	(0)
2024–	→ Nantes (loan)	27	(1)
International career
2017	France U18	2	(0)
2017–2018	France U19	12	(1)
2018–2019	France U20	5	(0)
2019–2020	France U21	7	(0)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 4 May 2025

Club career

Cozza joined Montpellier in 2010 and signed his first professional contract on 14 June 2017.^[3] He made his professional debut for Montpellier in a 0–0 Ligue 1 draw against Lyon on 19 November 2017.^[4]

On 25 January 2023, Cozza signed a four-and-a-half-year contract with Bundesliga club VfL Wolfsburg.^[5]

On 1 February 2024, Cozza was loaned out to French side Nantes until the end of the season.^[6]

After remaining on the bench in the first two Wolfsburg games of the 2024–25 season, on 28 August 2024 Cozza returned to Nantes on a new season-long loan.^[7] A new Nantes loan for the 2025–26 season was announced on 8 July 2025.^[8]

Personal life

Cozza is the grandson of former Montpellier captain Jean-Louis Besson [fr]. He is of Italian descent from Calabria.^[9]

Career statistics

As of match played 4 May 2025

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			Cup		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Montpellier B	2016–17	CFA	8	0	—		—		8	0
	2017–18	National 3	9	0	—		—		9	0
	2018–19	National 3	5	0	—		—		5	0
	Total		22	0	—		—		22	0
Montpellier	2017–18	Ligue 1	9	1	1	0	2[a][b]	0	12	1
	2018–19	Ligue 1	12	0	1	0	1[a]	0	14	0
	2019–20	Ligue 1	7	0	0	0	1[a]	0	8	0
	2020–21	Ligue 1	20	0	3	0	—		23	0
	2021–22	Ligue 1	34	2	3	0	—		37	2
	2022–23	Ligue 1	17	2	1	0	—		18	2
	Total		99	5	9	0	4	0	112	5
VfL Wolfsburg	2022–23	Bundesliga	5	0	1	0	—		6	0
	2023–24	Bundesliga	6	0	1	0	—		7	0
	Total		11	0	2	0	—		13	0
Nantes (loan)	2023–24	Ligue 1	13	0	0	0	—		13	0
Nantes (loan)	2024–25	Ligue 1	27	1	2	0	—		29	1
	2025–26	Ligue 1	0	0	0	0	—		0	0
	Total		27	1	2	0	—		29	1
Career total			172	6	13	0	4	0	189	6

1. Appearance(s) in the Coupe de la Ligue
2. Appearance(s) in the Coupe de la Ligue